Stronger Communities Partnership Board Hamida Ali Cabinet Member

Stronger Communities Partnership Board Hamida Ali Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety & Justice

Local Strategic Partnership Structure

Stronger Communities Board Overview • Established in November 2014 to oversee and coordinate the development of Croydon’s communities agenda. • The Board has considered a wide range of issues including: Ø The Croydon Opportunity and Fairness Commission Ø Stop and Search Ø Preventing Extremism Ø Developing a new Stronger Communities Plan Ø Community Fund Ø Interfaith activity

Actions undertaken Draft priority Action taken Next steps Make Croydon a place of opportunity and fairness by tackling inequality, disadvantage and exclusion. Established the Opportunity and Fairness Commission The report will inform the development of the Stronger Communities Plan due to be presented at Cabinet in June 2016. Foster community relations, activity and integration by providing opportunities for people from different backgrounds to come together in meaningful interaction. The Council and its partners have organised and hosted a whole range of events designed to foster There is a comprehensive schedule of events to organise and deliver in 2016. The Board is exploring new ways to work with the community to deliver events that build cohesion and promote equality such as ‘LGBT Big Night Out’ and ‘Interfaith Week. Promote a thriving, active and joined-up community, faith and voluntary sector that works in partnership with the public and private sector to improve outcomes for local people. Extended the current commissioning arrangements to wait for the Launch the new Community Fund prospectus at the end of March 2016. Deliver a programme of commissioning support activity. Outcomes of the community fund commissioning will be reported back to the Stronger Communities Board and regularly thereafter. New small grants programme to be reported to the stronger communities board. which has recently published its final report. community relations and integration Opportunity and Fairness Commission Reviewed the current commissioning arrangements and engaging with the voluntary sector.

Draft priority Action taken Next steps Promote active communities so that local people can do things that matter most to them and their neighbourhoods. The Council and CVA worked on the development of the Big Local initiative in Broad Green. The community-based governance is in place. Big Local – An action plan is currently being drafted for consideration at the end of March. Progress will be reported back to the Stronger Communities Board regularly. Encourage community empowerment and engagement across all our communities so that they can participate and influence local priorities. Implemented community Review the community ward budgets presenting an update report at cabinet in June and a full report in September 2016 Encourage a greater community response to tough issues so that together we can change attitudes and behaviors. Held a meeting with key members of the Muslim community. The meeting was led by one of the Stronger Community Partnership Board’s faith representatives and included presentations from Croydon Mosque, the Met Police’s Muslim Contact Unit and the Council’s Director of Safety. ward budgets comprising £ 6 k for each ward in the borough. Progress will be reported back to the Stronger Communities Board and regularly thereafter. Established a community cohesion group to explore activity and information to promote better community relations working closely with the Safer Croydon Partnership Board that leads on Hate Crime and Preventing Extremism. Invite the Muslim Contact Unit to host a Met-P event in Croydon.

Stronger Communities Partnership Board Outcomes • Croydon is a place of opportunity and fairness • Croydon is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together • Croydon is a place that has a thriving and joined-up community, faith and voluntary sector

Stronger Communities Partnership Board Chair: Cllr Hamida Ali Lead Officer: Simon Bashford Notes: Membership just reviewed, new Chair, forward plan needs updating and sub groups being established Voluntary Sector Sub Group Chair: Steve Phaure Lead Officer: Simon Bashford/Michael Frean Notes: This group needs it’s first meeting and TORs. CCG to be invited Fouzia as well as attendees drawn from a range of groups including CCDSG Community Cohesion Sub Group Chair: Cllr David Wood Lead Officer: Shujah Iqbal Notes: Members include Police, CPFC, Carl Parker, Di Layzelle from college and student Year 1 Target Increase in volunteering Year 1 Target People from different backgrounds get on well together Deliver a tackling stereotypes campaign Deliver a programme of events for Interfaith Week Publish a Volunteering Framework for Croydon External Funding Sub Group Chair: Nero Ughwujabo Lead Officer: Kevin Mc. Kenna Notes: Chair of this group to move from Sarah Ireland to Nero. Members include CCG Year 1 Target Leverage external funding to the voluntary sector Successfully apply for a minimum of 5 separate funding opportunities

Draft Action Plan to Achieve Key Outcomes • • Revised structure for Stronger Communities Partnership Board (with focus on voluntary sector, community cohesion and external funding) Annual survey to measure community cohesion in Croydon Develop and grow more genuinely interfaith dialogue Focus on growing volunteering Greater devolved power to neighbourhoods Community Fund, Croydon Community Grants, Community Ward Budgets Making links – with those tackling social isolation and enhancing the cultural programme in the borough Explore use of community land trusts and social impact bonds to tackle lack of supply of affordable housing and homelessness